Thanks to my media and digital literacy class, I am taking part in the #onewordOnt challenge for 2018! The creator of this challenge, Julie Balen, says "having one word gives you the chance to be shaped by it" which I think is really powerful. I initially read about this movement via Helen DeWaard's tweets, which brought me to so many posts from others about their chosen words, past and present. There are many people who have done this for a few years now, and their blog posts and tweets are amazingly insightful. Hopefully my post can give you at least a glimpse into my insights as well!
"Why did you decide to participate in this movement?" you may ask. Well, I am a planner. I like to organize and reorganize, I use small bins inside of medium bins inside of large bins to do so, I write out a meal plan, I use an agenda to make a weekly schedule, I record my meal plan in my weekly schedule, and I cannot go grocery shopping without a list. With this mentality, I figure having one word on which to focus for the entire year will be invaluable for centering my life. As a teacher too, I can see how his would be useful in a classroom as well. Teachers and students can collaboratively choose a word for their class, and then focus on that word for the duration of their time together! I haven't seen this before, but I think I might try it. I don't know why I've never come across this idea before!
In addition to being a planner, I am also an avid reader. This means that I know a lot of words (if I do say so myself) so I had a tough time choosing one word that I wanted to center myself around for the entirety of 2018. I wanted a word that truly was indicative of who I am as both a teacher and student. I looked up so many words. After a while, I realized that the very thing I was doing; remembering, defining, and dissecting a multitude of random words was representative of who I am as a student and a teacher. I am someone who likes to delve into the familiar, to learn more details. Each word that I thought of on my own also brought me to numerous other words, some brand new to me, and I found myself devouring these as well. What I love to do is explore.
Let me back up a bit here, because that connection might seem like a bit of a stretch. I love to explore because when something piques my interest, like words and reading, I love to immerse myself in it and learn everything I can about it. I also always try to be open to new things and ideas; they're exciting! Below is the definition of explore that I found I most related to, courtesy of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary online.
This kind of exploring is one of the reasons that I enjoy school so much (and have chosen to do a Master's degree after I graduate with my current degrees!); it is a place where guided exploration is (generally) encouraged. In my education currently then, my aim for 2018 is to continue to explore new ideas about teaching. This Media and Digital Literacy class in particular is a fantastic place to do so! I also hope to facilitate exploration for my students in my final placement. Teachers and scholars often talk about 'exploring' methods, ideas, etc. in their classroom, but I don't think there is enough discourse about letting students explore and exploring with them! I hope to remedy this! Come September of this year however, exploring becomes a bit different for me...
While I said that I enjoy exploring - and that's true! - it also intimidates me to some degree. I am a naturally shy, quiet, and introverted person. The exploring that I like to do is either personal and individual, or is clearly guided by someone more knowledgeable. The exploring that I have chosen to do in September of this year is quite terrifying. I'm going to Thunder Bay all by myself to participate in Lakehead's Masters of English program! I've lived in the same city, in the same house, surrounded by the same family and friends for my entire life so far. This is a big move for me. I want to literally explore Thunder Bay, because I know it is a beautiful city with so much to offer. I will hopefully be able to explore the idea of new friends, peers, and professors because for the past five years I've been at my comfortably small school, with peers and professors that I know quite well. I will explore, intentionally and by default, who I am on my own, as opposed to me in relation to others. It's going to be exciting! When I initially thought about the word explore, this guy came to mind right away:
At first I just giggled at Russell (and of course decided to watch the movie). As I wrote this post though, I realized that as silly and adorable as Russell is, I really would like to be a bit like him this year! So, if I were to sum up my goals for exploration this year, I would say: I want to be enthusiastic and persistent about exploring the familiar in more depth and exploring the new without trepidation.
Works Cited:
Balen, J. (28 December 2018). #onewordOnt Introduction. Retrieved January 15, 2018, https://jacbalen.wordpress.com/2016/12/18/onewordont-introduction. "Explore". (25 December 2017). Retrieved January 15 2018, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/explore.
2 Comments
Daniela Correia
1/18/2018 06:00:58 pm
Explore! What a great word 2018! Explore means more than just what it seams. I really like that you highlighted the different elements of explore in relation to your school journey. Exploration is how we learn and grow. Thanks for sharing!
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1/18/2018 07:23:29 pm
One word can shape our lives! This one word that you've selected, over a long process of reflection, will highlight the mindset you'll certainly bring to the changes that are coming this year. Exploring new communities, both physical and digital, will build new connections in your learning and teaching spaces. Introverts make the best explores because they balance the adventure with a healthy dose of caution. Enjoy your year of exploring! Helen
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AuthorCassy. Teacher in training, student, reading enthusiast, and dog mom. Archives
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